Earring clasp



June 18, 1957 E. F. GRAY 2,795,833

EARRING CLASP Filed Jan. 25. 1954 IN V EN TOR.

2A/E57 E Gem@ States This invention relates generally to earring clasps or findings and particularly describes such a device made of only two component parts and capable of easy attachment to and detachment from the ear lobe.

An object of the present invention is therefore to provide a novel two-piece earring clasp.

Another object of the invention is to disclose a twopiece earring clasp in which one piece is rotatably mounted relative to the other and includes integrally formed resilient means biasing said members in a given direction relative to one another.

A further object is to disclose a device having the above characteristics wherein one of the relatively rotatable members is a U-shaped bracket adapted to embrace the lower portion of an ear lobe.

A still further object of the invention is to disclose a device of the above character wherein one of the relatively rotatable members includes arcuately-shaped bifurcated clamping or pressure elements and resilient means biasing said arcuate clamping elements outwardly into ear-gripping relation relative to a fixed outer clamping element, the bifurcated elements being arranged to straddle an arm of a supporting bracket member to afford an extremely wide spacing whereby to accommodate unusually fieshy ear lobes.

A further object is to disclose a two-piece earring clasp whose component parts are easily :manipulatable by the user and are significantly economical to manufacture and assemble.

These and other allied objects and purposes of the invention will become clear from a study of the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention taken in connection withY the accompanying drawing-in which:

` Fig.l l is a side elevational view of an earring clasp y made in accordance with the present invention' includ--r in'g a'nornamental jewel or the like carried by the-outer clamping'element of the device. n

Fig. 2 is a rear elevational view of the device' of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a side elevational View of the device similar yto l Fig. l except in open position, the clasp beingvattached to the lower portion of an ear lobe fragmentarily shown. j Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view, on an enlarged scale,` of the upper end of the inner arm of the U-shaped bracket together with the rotatable clamping member journaled thereon as-seen on line IV-IV ofl Fig. 5; in addition, the upper end of the inner arm is shown in dotted outline rotated clockwise relative to the inner clamping member, the relative position of the parts as thus shownl being similar to that of Fig. 3, while the parts shown in solid lines correspond to their positions when the clasp is fully clo'sed as in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line V-V of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a plan view of a blank used in forming the rotatable inner clamping member. Referring now in detail'to the drawing -in Fig. 1 is shown a U-shaped bracket indicatedgenerally atV 10 and an inner clamping member rotatably mountedthereon and indicated generally at 30. The U-shaped bracket includes a central, generally horizontally disposed yoke 12 and a pair of arms 14 and 15 extending upwardly from the yoke. The outer arm 14 terminates upwardly in an enlarged head 16 whose inner surface 17 is smoothly formed and desirably convex in shape, constituting the outer clamping element of the device. On the outer portion of the head 16 there may be attached by any suitable means, well known in the art, a decorative stone, jewel, or the like 18.

The inner arm 15 tenminates upwardly (see Figs. 4 and 5) in a pair of oppositely disposed aligned pivot pins 2t) and 21 defining a horizontal axis of rotation. Between the pivot pins 20 and 21 there is provided a deformed or offset portion 22 in the inner arm .15, the deformed portion terminating in an upper edge 24 spaced outwardly from the axis of rotation defined by the pivot pins 20 and 2t, and in approximate horizontal alignment with such axis. The entire U-shaped bracket 10 may be desirably made of thin metal strip with the pivot pins 20 and 21 and the outwardly deformed portion 22 being formed integrally at the upper end of the inner arm 15 by suitable metal-forming techniques.

The inner clamping member indicated generally at is rotatably mounted upon the pivot pins 2t) and 21 of inner arm 15. Desirably the inner clamping member 30 is made from a single blank ofsheet metal or similar material having some resiliency. In Fig. 6 there is shown a preferred form of blank for forming the rotatable inner clamping member 30 including central base portion 32 having attached thereto a. pair of laterally extending tab members 33 and 34. In turn each of the tab members 33 and 34 is provided with an aperture therethrough, the apertures being indicated at 35 and 36 respectively and being so disposed as to be aligned when the tabs 33 and 34 are folded or bent 90 along their respective lines of juncture 37 and 38 with the central base portion V32.`

Means are provided in the inner clamping memberv for limiting the rotation of the member upon the pivot pins'v of the U-shaped bracket. Such limitingor stop means are afforded in the present embodiment of the invention by an extension 40 projecting from the base portion 32 and joined thereto along a foldable line of juncture42.

- Inner clamping'means proper extend from base portion 32 oppositely from the'stop member 4t? and are preferably bifurcated to provide a symmetrically disposed pair of clamping wings or leaves 44 and46. The clamping wings 44 and 46 are laterally spaced apart asvshown and between them there isan elongated tongue spring 48 which is preferably tapered to afford a relatively larger cross-sectional area at its base 50 than at its outermost tip 52.- v

The tabs 33 andf34 together with-their apertures l35 and 36constitute means for journaling the inner clamping member 30 for rotation about the horizontally disposed axis defined by pivot-pins 20 and 21. Thus thetabs 33 and 34 are bentinto parallel orientation (see Fig. 5) whereby the apertures 35 and 36vare aligned and are rotatably journaled upon pivot-pins 21 and Ztl respectively. The rotation limiting-means Vcomprising extension 40 of the inner-clamping member is similarly folded or bent at to the planeof the base 32 (see Fig. 4) and desirably the outermost marginal strip 41 ofthe extension 40 may be bent silghtly inwardlyin order tovsquarelyabut the inner ar-m .15 below deformed portion 22.` v f With further yreference `to Fig.l 4,v it will be seen that the tongue 48 ofthe inner clamping member 30l is bent relatively sharply virtually lSOf so that the tongue extends in substantial parallel orientationirelative to the plane of base 32. The bifurcated clamping `leaves .1344

, and'46 are also bent in the same direction `asi tongue48,

but not so sharply, so that the leaves assume a generally spiral relationship to the axis defined by the pivot pins 20 and 21. It will be readily understood that the shape assumed by the leaves 44 and 46 need notbe exactly a geometric spiral, but the curvature provided in the leaves should be such that the center or centers of such curvature are disposed on the side of the axis of rotation toward the arcuately shaped wings or leaves. By this construction it will be seen that rotation of the inner clamping member in a counter-clockwise direction relative to the U-shaped bracket provides an increasing space between the convex surfaces of the arcuate leaves 44 and 46 and the outer or fixed clamping element i7. This will be readily apparent from a comparison of Figs. l and 3.

When the parts are assembled as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the lower surface of tongue 4S rests upon the upper edge 24 of the deformed portion 22 of the bracket 10.

Because of the resiliency of tongue 48 which tends to move the tip 52 downwardly as seen in Fig, 4, the entire inner clamping member 30 is urged clockwise as seen in that ligure about the axis defined by pivot pins 2G and 21. The functioning of spring 4S will be readily understood by a consideration of the movement of arm from its position shown in solid lines in Fig. 4 to its position shown in dotted outline in that ligure. lt will be noted that such movement (assuming that the inner clamping member is held stationary) is resisted by the resiliency of the tongue spring 48. Such relative movement of the parts might be continued until they assume the position shown in Fig. 3. Under the sole inlluence of the tongue spring 48, the parts will move to the position shown in solid lines in Fig. 4 (as well as in Fig. l) wherein the inturned end 41 of the extension abuts the arm 15 and thus limits clockwise movement of the inner clamping member 30 relative to the U- shaped bracket 10. It will of course, be understood that the parts are so designed that only a small amount of torque is necessary to move the earring clasp to its open position as shown in Fig. 3, such force being merely sullcient to overcome the torque afforded by the resilient tongue spring 48.

It is especially to be noted that the earring clasp of the present invention affords a wide range of spacing between the limits of movement of the inner clamping member relative to the outer clamping member. Reference to Fig. 3 indicates the degree to which the device may be opened, such open position being possible by reason of the bifurcated design of the movable inner clamping member whose wings or leaves 44 and 46 are laterally spaced apart sufficiently to straddle the upper portion of arm 15 when the device is near its fully opened position as in Fig. 3. Moreover, and with continued reference to Fig. 3, it will be observed that the relatively large width of the inner movable clamping member 30 allows the user to relieve all force on the ear lobe and thus to easily detach the earring from the ear by engaging the fingernail with one of the arcuately formed leaves 44 and 46.

It is also to be noted that in the preferred form of the spring tongue 48 the tongue is tapered in outline, so that the relative cross-sectional area at base 50 is greater than at the outer end of the tongue, toward the tip 52. By this shape I have found that substantially constant clamping force may be exerted by the inner and outer clamping members upon the ear lobe throughout the range of the earring clasp.

Modifications and changes from the specific embodiment of the invention hereinabove described and shown will occur to those skilled in the art. All such modifications and changes not departing from the spirit of the invention are intended to be embraced within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Ancarringclasp comprising: aV U-sbapedmember having a pair of upwardly extending parallel arms of substantially equal length and a lower arcuate yoke joining the arms, the upper end of one arm being provided with an outer clamping element adapted to contact the outer surface of an ear lobe and the upper end of the other arm including a pair of oppositely projecting aligned pivot pins defining an axis of rotation, and a central portion offset outwardly from said axis; and an inner clamping member provided with a oasehaving a pair of spaced apertured tabs rotatably journalled on said pivot pins, a bifurcated clamping portion extending from said base and having a pair of arcuate, laterally spaced clamping leaves facing said pressure element and adapted to contact the inner surface of an ear lobe, an integral resilient tongue extending from the base between said arms forining a loop and doubling back beneath said face and substantially parallel thereto toward said axis, the outer end of the tongue resting upon said offset portion, said tongue normally exerting pressure to move said clamping member toward said outer clamping element.

2. The invention as stated in claim l wherein said tongue tapers from a relatively greater cross-sectional area adjacent the base to a smaller cross-sectional area at its outer end to extend between the inegral pivot pins to the upper end of said inner arm.

3. An earring clasp comprising: a U-shaped bracket having a central yoke portion and inner and outer parallel arms extending upwardly from the yoke, the outer arm terminating upwardly in an inwardly facing smooth outer clamping element, the inner arm terminating upwardly in pair of oppositely disposed aligned pivot pins defining a horizontal axis of rotation spaced from said outer clamping element and including a deformed portion intermediate the outer clamping element and said axis; and a movable clamping member including means journalled on said pins whereby said member is rotatable about said axis, the member being provided with a pair of laterally spaced arcuate leaves constituting convex inner clamping elements, and resilient means integrally formed with said vmember and bearing against said deformed portion for biasing the inner clamping elements toward the outer clamping element, said resilient means comprising a tongue disposed between said leaves, said tongue forming a loop and doubling back beneath said member.

4. An earring clasp comprising: a U-shaped bracket having upwardly extending inner and outer arms, the outer arm terminating upwardly in an inwardly facing smooth surfaced outer clamping element, the inner arm terminating upwardly in a pair of laterally projecting axially aligned pivot pins flanking a deformed portion spaced outwardly from the axis of said pins; and a movable clamping member journalled on said pins for rotation about said axis, the member being laterally bifurcated to provide a pair of arcuate clamping leaves disposed generally spirally relative to said axis and provided with outwardly facing smooth inner clamping surfaces opposed to and spaced from said outer clamping surface, the member including integral resilient means bearing against said deformed portion for urging the member about said axis and thereby the inner clamping surfaces toward said outer clamping surfaces.

5. An earring clasp comprising a U-shaped member having a pair of upwardly extending parallel arms of substantially equal length and a lower arcuated yoke joining the arms, the upper end of one arm being provided with an outer clamping element adapted to contact the outer surface of an ear lobe and the upper end of the other arm including a pair of oppositely projecting aligned pivot pins deninig an axis of rotation, and a central portion offset outwardly from said axis, andan inner clamping member provided with a base having a pair of spaced apertured tabs rotatably journalled on said pivot pins, a bifurcated clamping portion' extending fromsaidbase and having a pair ofA arcuate, laterally am; y

spaced clamping leaves facing said outer clamping element and adapted to contact the inner surface of an ear lobe, an integral resilient tongue extending from the base between said arms and extending back toward said axis, the outer end of the tongue resting upon said offset portion, said tongue normally exerting pressure to move said clamping member toward said outer clamping element.

6. An earring clasp comprising a U-shaped bracket having a central yoke portion and a pair of parallel arms extending upwardly therefrom, the upper end of one of said arms being adapted to Contact the outer surface of an ear lobe, a clamping member rotatably mounted adjacent the upper end of the other of said arms, said upper end having a portion oset outwardly from the axis of rotation of said clamping member, said clamping member having an integral resilient tongue extending longitudinally along the center thereof, said tongue extending rearwardly beneath and substantially parallel to said clamping member back toward the axis of rotation thereof, the end of said tongue bearing against said offset portion, said resilient tongue normally urging said clamping 6 member toward the opposite arm, said clamping member adapted to be moved toward the arm on which it is mounted aaginst the pressure of said tongue to permit said clasp to be attached to and detached from the ear lobe.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 682,524 Bonnemaison Sept. 10, 1901 728,414 Rhoads May 19, 1903 1,967,965 Morehouse July 24, 1934 1,973,282 Brush Sept. 11, 1934 2,391,635 Mark Dec. 25, 1945 2,501,754 Battiste Mar. 28, 1950 2,583,988 Ballon, et al. Jan. 29, 1952 2,585,181 Stavropoulos et al Feb. 12, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 773,557 France of 1934 

